Automatic package-elevator.



J. A. ALVEY.

-AUTOMATIC PACKAGE ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I. l9l4.

1,21 9,898. Patented Mar. 20, 1 917.

I 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- J. A. ALVEY.

AUTOMATIC PACKAGE ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1914.

flveizjar x J. A. ALVEY.

AUTOMATIC PACKAGE ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1.1914.

1,21 9,898. I Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

I a ,4 z 4SHEETS-SHEET 3. Wm 2 a I I J. A. ALVEY. AUTOMATIC PACKAGE ELEVATOR. APPLICATION FILED IUNE I. 1914.

1,219,898. Patented Mar. 20, 1911.

" provement in Automatic Package-Elevators,

. an srra'rns PA OFFICE.

JOHN A. ALVEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGINOB T0 ALVEY MAIIUFACTUBING COMPANY, OF ST. LQUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIG PACKAGE-ELEVATOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. ALVEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Imof which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to elevators for automatically transferring packages from one floor of a building to another floor.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide an elevator which will automatically transfer packages, such as cans, boxes, barrels and the like, from one floor of a building to another floor. Another objectis to p'rQvide an elevator in which the packages will be loaded and unloaded positively,without danger of crushing or injuring the packages. Further objects 'are'to attain eertain advantages which will more fully app'ear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts as will more fully appear hereinafter;

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,-

Figure l is a sideelevation of an tor embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevatlon of the top part of the elevator showing the unloading mechelevaanism for the third floor, oneof the large gears beingremoved;

- Fig. .3 is a plan view of the top part of the elevator as shown in Fig.2";

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of part of the elevator showing the unloading mechanism for the second floor;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of. the part of th elevator shown in Fig. 4;

I Fig. 6 is an end elevation'of a carrier;

Fig. 7is a side elevation of a carrier;

Fig 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 in this upright frame are two parallel endless sprocket chains which extend from the bottom to the top of the upright frame. Bs-

tween these endless sprocket chains at equal intervals are connected carriers which travel Specification of Letters Eatent.

Application filed June .1, 1914. Serial No. 842,036.

Patented Mar. 20,1917.

up one side of the upright frame and down the other side thereof. The packages are conveyed by a conveyer to a loading mechanism located on one of the floors, and this loading mechanism delivers the packages one at a time to the carriers as they move upwardly. 'As the carriers descend on the other side of the upright frame, the packages on them are automatically removed at one of the floors and deliveredto another conveyer. The elevator is constructed to unload at any one of several floors.

In the elevator shown in the accompanying drawings, an upright frame 1 extends from the basement 2 through an opening 3 in the first or loading .floor 4:, .an opening 5 inthe second floor 6, and an opemng 7 in the third floor 8. On the first or loading floor 4 adjacent to the upright frame 1 is a loading mechanism, which is designated asa whole by the letter A. For convenience in description, the side of the upright frame 1 which faces the loading mechanism A will be termed the front, the side opposite to the front will be termed the rear, and the other two opposite sides will be termed the sides. Located on the second floor adjacentto the rear of the upright frame 1 isthe discharging or unloading mechanism, which is designated as a whole by the letter B. Lo-

cated on the third floor adjacent to the rear edge of each channel 10 (Figs. 4 and 5). The standards 9 are substantially U-shaped in cross-section, and at the front and rear of the upright frame 1, the open spaces 12 the standards 9 face each other. tervals across each side of the upright frame 1 are cross members 13 which are fastened to, the standards 9. To these cross members 13 are fastened other members 14 which extend from side to side of the upright fi-ame 1. .1111 the spaces 12 inthe two standards 9 located on each side of the upright frame 1 I wise by a plate 11 which extends along one v At inis guided asprocket chain 15. Each sprocket chain 15 passes over a large idle sprocket wheel 16 located nean the bottom of said upright frame, and over a smaller driving sprocket wheel 17 located near the top of said upright frame. The sprocket chains 15 are driven so that they move upwardly at the front of the upright frame 1, and downwardly at the rear of said upright frame, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. The sprocket chains 15 are preferably provided with rollers 18 between each pair of links.

Pivotally secured to the sprocket chains 15 at equal distances apart are carriers 19. As shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, each carrier 19 comprlses a cross bar 20, to each end ofv which is rigidly fastened a hanger bar 21. Each hanger bar 21 is pivotally connected .by a pin 22 to a pair of'links of one of the sprocket chains 15. Rigidly fastened to the cross bar 20 areT bars 23 which extend at right angles to said cross bar 20 in a planev at right angles to the plane of the hanger bars 21, and which are spaced equally from each other along said cross bar. The T bars 23 of each carrier 19 constitute a platform upon which the package is supported while it is transferred by the carrier 19. At each end of the cross bar 20 is vjournaled a flanged wheel 24. The wheels 24 on eachcarrier 19 enter the spaces 12 in the opposing standards 9 at the front and the rear of the upright frame 1, the flanges of the wheels 24 engaging the edges of the channels 10. To one end of each T bar 23 is riveted an angle member 25, one end of vwhich projects a short distance above the top face of the T bar 23. To each of the two intermediate T bars is riveted a second angle member 26 which is located at the end opposite to the end to which the angle members 25 are riveted. One end of'each second angle member 26' projects a short distance above the top faces of the T bars 23.

Near the bottom of the upright frame 1 at each side thereof are fastened two spaced angle irons 27. On each of the angle irons 27 is secured a guide 28 which has a row of holes 29 therein. In the two corresponding guides 28 on each side of the upright frame end the large idle sprocket wheel- 16, over 1 is mounted a frame 30 which has therein a slot 31 and holes adapted to register with the holes 29 in the guides 28. In the slot 31 ofeach frame 30 is slidably mounted ablock 32 in which is'journaled one end of a shaft The shaft 33 has fixed thereto near each which is guided one of the sprocket chains 15. Screw-threaded in -each frame 30 is a screw 34 which engages the block 32. 'Ehe screws 34 Have heads for turning thi'n. Through the holes in each frame 30 .and the holes-29 in the corresponding guides 28 passes a removable bolt. By the construcwheel 66, the sprocket to the shaft 81 near each fixedon a shaft 84. The

between which are .dogs 86 so weightedthat' while a dog tion described, the shaft 33 ma vertically to' take up the wear 0 the sprocket chains 15 and keep them .taut-.' To tighten the sprocket chains 15, the screws 34 are turned to move the blocks '32 downward in the slots 31 of the frames 30. When the blocks 32 cannot be moved any farther in the slots31 of the frames 30, the frames 30 can be moved downwardly in .the guides 28 by placing the bolts in other holes 29 in the guides 28. I I

The packages are conveyed to the loading mechanism A bya roller conveyer 36, as shownin Fig. 1. The parts of the loading 4 be adjusted jmechanism A are supported upon a frame 37 Which is preferably constructed of angle irons and plates riveted together. Journaled in the frame 37 are shafts 39 and 41. to which are attached sprocket wheels 40 and 42, respectively. "Over the sprocket wheels 40 and 42 are guided roller sprocket chains 43. Adjacent to the sprocket chains 43 andextending into the path of movement-of the carriers 19 are the loading fingers 47 and 50 and the stop 51. Passing over sprocket wheels 53, 55,60 and 62 is a sprocket chain conveyer 63. By means of the sprocket chain 75, and intermediate connections, the sprocket chain 15 operates the roller chains 43 and the sprocket chain conveyer 63.

At the top of the upright frame 1 is secured a frame 76, preferably made of angle irons and plates riveted together, upon which issupported the driving mechanism for the elevator and the unloading mechanism C for the. third floor 8, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. On the frame 76 is journaled a shaft 77 which has fixed thereto at one end a pulley 7 8. The pulley '78 is driven by suitable power, preferably by an electric motor, belted thereto. To the shaft 77 is fixed a pinion 79 which meshes with a ear 8O fixed on a shaft 81. A pinion 82 is xed end, and each pin- 1on 82 meshes with a large gear 83 which is shafts 84 are journeled" in the frame 76 on each side of the upright frame 1, and to each shaft 84 is secured i wheels 17. I

Attached to the shaft '77 is a detent mechanism' 85, consisting-of two spaced disks, pivoted a plurality of 86 is moving through the upper portion of the one of, the driving sprocket revolution'of the disks, the. tooth of that dog 86 will beprojected and in position to engage the stop bar 87. This mechanism permits the shaft 77 to rotatein its normal or clockwise .direction, but prevents it from rotating in the opposite direction.

Secured-to-the frame 76 oneach side A thereof is an. inclined 2 and3), upon. which the sprocket chain 15 guide bar 89, (Figs.

-1,a19,see

is supported as it runs across the top of the upright frame 1. Above each ide bar 89 parallel thereto is another gui e bar 90. At the rear of the top frame 76 on each side is journaled an idle sprocket wheel 91 over which the sprocket chain 15 passes. The sprocket wheels 91 are lower than the sprocket wheels 17. Below each sprocket wheel 91 is journaled an idle sprocket wheel 92. Each sprocket chain '15 is guided over the rear edge of one sprocket wheel 91=and over the front edge of the corresponding sprocket wheel 92. The front edge of each sprocket wheel 92 is over the space 12 in the corresponding rear standard'9. A guide 93 holds the chain in engagement with each sprocket wheel 92. I

The rear or inner channel 10 of each front standard 9 terminates at a distance below the top edge of the sprocket wheel 17 about equal to the height of a carrier 19 and curves rearwardly for the short distance. The front or inner channel 10 of each of the rear standards 9 also terminates at a distance below the top edge of the sprocket wheel 91 about equal to the height of a carrier and curves forwardly a slightdistance.

The rear-or outer channel 10 of each of the rear standards 9 is bentrear wardly below the sprocket wheel 92 so as'to engage the wheels 24 of the carriers 19 as they descend and guide them into the spaces 12 in the rear standards 9. A plate 94 is fastened to the standards 9 across each side of the upright frame 1 and substantially parallel to the guide bar 89 over which the sprocket chain 15 runs.

Projecting rearwardly from the rear of the frame 76 on each side thereof is a triangular bracket 95. On these brackets 95 is pivoted a rock shaft 96,'to which. are fastened the unloading fingers 97. The unloading fingers 97 project forwardly and upwardly and extend beyond the sprocket wheels 91 and 92 to a point about half way between the front and rear standards. 9. The front end portions of the unloading fingers 97 are beveled. The unloading fingers 97 are located so thatthey pass between the T bars 23 of each carrier 19, the cross bar 20 of each carrier ,19 passing below them. Pivoted to the outside fingers 97 near each side of the upright frame 1 is a link 98 which extends upwardly. Each link 98 is pivotally connected to the lower end of a vertically slidablerack 99. Meshing with the racks 99 are gears 100 fixed to a shaft 101. The shaft 101 is journaled on the frame 76 and has fixed thereto at one end a hand wheel 102. The fingers 97 lead to a roller conveyer 103.

- The unloading mechanism B for unloadnism C for unloading the packages at the.

third floor 8. As shown. in Figs. 4 and 5, the parts of the intermediate unloading mechanism are secured to a frame 104 which is preferably composed of angle irons and plates riveted together and which is fastened securely to the rear standards 9 of the upright frame 1. At the top of this frame 104, and on each side thereof, is'journaled an idle: sprocket wheel 105. Located rearwardly and downwardly from each sprocket wheel 105 is a second idle sprocket wheel 106 journaled on the frame 104. Located directly below each sprocket wheel 105 and at the bottom of'the frame 104 is a third idle sprocket wheel 107 'journaled on the frame 104. The sprocket chains 15 pass over the front edges of. the first sprocket wheels 105, around the rear edges of the second. sprocket wheels 106 and thence over the front edges of the third sprocket wheels 107. The rear or outer channel 10 of each of the rear standards 9 is removed between the first sprocket wheel 105 and thethird sprocket wheel 107. The

to is a second guide bar 111. Secured to the frame 10A near each side thereof is an upwardly and rearwardly inclined guide bar 112, upon which is supported the sprocket chain 15 between the second sprocket wheel 106' and the third sprocket wheel 107.

Above each guide bar 112 and parallel thereto is a second guide bar 113. Between each guide bar 113 and the corresponding rear standard 9 is secured a curved'guide 114 which is located below the guide bar a distance about equal to the height of a carrier 19. The wheels 24 of a carrier 19 hung from the sprocket chains 15 while they are supported upon the guide bars 110 will engage the lower edges of the guides 114. Se-

cured to the frame 10A. on each side thereof is a triangular bracket 115; and on these brackets 115 is journaled a rock shaft 116. Fastened to the rock shaft 116 are the unloading fingers 117which incline rearwardly and downwardly. The unloading fingers 117 lead to the roller conveyer 118. l

Near the bottom of the upright frame 1 is secured a' vertical plate 119, which. has the lower end portion thereof bent rearwardly. Secured to the front face of the plate 119 are two guides 121 which extend up and down with their lower ends farther apart than their upper ends. The rear or inner channel 10 of each of the front standards 9 is cutaway from the bottom of the upright the elevator is driven by applying power to the pulley 78-at the top of the elevator (Figs. 2 and 3), and the power is transmitted through the pinion 79, the gear 80, the shaft 81, and the pinions 82 to the large gears 83.'

The large gears 83 drive the shafts 84 and the sprocket wheel 17. The sprocket wheels 17 drive the sprocket chains 15, together with the carriers 19 secured to said sprocket chains. By means of the roller conveyer 36 and the loading mechanism A a package is placed on the loading fingers 50 in the position to be engaged by a carrier a short time before a, carrier passes the loading fingers.

The carriers 19 are carried by the sprocket chains 15 up the front of the elevator with a package on each one until they reach the top of the elevator. At the top of the elevator, (Figs. 2 and 3), after the sprocket chains 15 leave the sprocket wheels 17 they are guided rearwardly and downwardly between the guide bars 89 and 90 to the sprocket wheels 91. The plates 94 secured to the standards 9 guide the wheels 24 of the carriers 19 as these carriers travel rearwardly with the sprocket chains 15 and prevent the carriers from swinging sidewise. As each carrier 19 travels rearwardly, the unloading fingers 97 pass between the T bars 23 of the carrier 19 and above the cross bar 20 of the carrier, until the unloading fingers v97 extend the full length of said T bars 23 under the package'upon the carrier. From the sprocket wheels 91 the sprocket chains 15 move downwardly over the rear edges of said sprocket wheels 91, thence forwardly over the front edges of the sprocket wheels 92 and thence downwardly into the spaces 12 in the rear standards 9. As each carrier 19 descends with the sprocket chains 15, the package thereon is left on the unloading fingers 97. The fingers 97 incline downwardly and under normal conditions the package will slide down the fingers 97 upon the roller conveyer 103. It may happen, however, that the package will remain upon the fingers 97 in the way of the succeeding carrier 19. Thecarriers 19 do not descend vertically to the fingers 97, but first move lengthwise of the fingers 97 until they are positioned above saidfingers, and then commence their downward movement. As

a consequence of this movement which the carriers take lengthwise of the fingers 97, a package which may be left upon the fingers 97 by a carrier 19 will be pushed along the fingers 97 out of the way by the angle members 25 riveted on the T bars 23 of the succeeding carrier 19 instead of being crushed by said succeeding carrier.

. The unloading mechanism C on the third floor 8 at the top of the elevator removes the package from each of the carriers 19, and inorder that some or all of the packages may be carried down to a second floor 6, it is' necessary fingers 97 out of the position where they remove the packages from the carriers 19. This elevating of the unloading fingers 97 is accomplished by turning the handwheel 102, which operates the shaft 101 and the pinions 100 to raise the racks 99. The racks 99, being connected by links 98 to the unloading fingers 97, swing these unloading fingers 97 on them, until the inner or front ends of the unloading fingers 97 are above the plane of the top edges of the sprocket wheels 91. In this raised position, the unloading fingers 97 are out of the way of the carriers 19 and to elevate the unloading the brackets 95. which support the carriers 19 will descend with the packages on them to the second floor 6 below.

The operation of the unloading mechanism B at the second floor "6 is substantially the same as that of the unloading mechanism C at the third floor 8 hereinbefore described. After the sprocket chains- 15 leave the sprocket wheels105 (see Figs. 4 and 5) they are guided reai-wardly between the guide bars 110 and 111 to the sprocket wheels .106 and thence downwardly and forwardly between the guide bars 112 and 113 over the sprocket wheels 107 into the spaces 12 1n the rear standards 9. The carriers 19 move with the sprocket chains 15 and consequently they move rearwardly and then downwardly. The curved guide 114 engages the upper edges ofthe flanged wheels 24 on each carrier 19 and prevents the carrier from swinging sidewise, and also prevents the carrier from dragging back and tilting. The unloading fingers 117 engage between the T bars 23 of each carrier 19 and above the cross bar 20 thereof, and the carrier in descending leaves the package on the unloading fingers 117, the same as in the unloading mechanism C at the third floor 8. The packages slide along the fingers 117 to the roller conveyer 118, by which they are conveyed to any desired-part of the second floor 6.

The carriers 19, after they leave the unloading mechanism B at descend at the rear of the elevator and across the bottom and up the front" of the elevator. As the carriers 19 move across the lower part of the upright frame 1 they hang freely, and as they commence their upward movement, the flanged wheels 24 on the carriers 19 engage the plate 119 and the guides front standards 9.

the secbnd floor 6,-

It may happen for some reason that power to turn the shaft 77 will not be applied and some of the carriers 19 will be loaded. In orderto prevent the weight of the packages upon the ascending carriers from moving the carriers 19 in the direction opposite to'the direction of their normal movement, the detent mechanism, comprising the disks 85, the dogs 86 andthe stop bar 87, is Provided. When the shaft 77 starts to turn in the direction opposite to the direction of its normal rotation, the tooth of the top dog 86, which is projected, will engage the stop bar 87 and arrest the reverse rotation of the shaft 77. The dogs 86 do not engage the stop bar 87 unless the shaft 77 rotates in the reverse direction, and consequently the detent mechanism is noiseless.

The operation of the elevator is automatic, and both the loading and theunloading of the packages are performed without manual aid. The loading mechanism operates posi- ,tively and the packages cannot stickor catch and interrupt the operation of the elevator. Packages, such as milk cans, barrels and the like, which have projections on the bottom can be handled by the loading mechanism and the unloading mechanism as well as packages having smooth bottoms. Also,

the unloading mechanism operates positively, and each carrier pushes the package left by the preceding carrier on the unloadmg fingers out of the way, as hereinbefore described.

The particular construction which is shown and described may be considerably modified without departin from my invention, and I do not wish to be imited to the details of the construction shown and described.

What I claim is:

1. A package elevator comprising a frame,

and sprocket wheels for guiding said sprocket chains downwardly from the ends of said guide bars.

2. A package elevator comprising a frame, sprocket chains guided in said frame, carriers supported by said sprocket chains, means for moving said sprocket chains up one side and down the opposite side of said frame, spaced fingers supported in said frame in the downward path of movement of said carriers, and means for guiding said sprocket chains and said carriers supported thereby first lengthwise of said fingers and then downwardly relative to said fingers.

3. A package elevator comprising a frame,

said racks, and manually operable means for moving said racks to tilt said fingers up and down, whereby they may be swung across and withdrawn from the path of movement of said elevator.

4. A package elevator comprising a frame, moving sprocket chains guided by said frame up one side thereof and down the opposite side, carriers connected to said sprocket chains "at fixed intervals, the 'bottom of each of said carriers having openings therein, fingers supported by said frame and extending into the path of downward movement ofsaid carriers, said fingers being arranged to pass through the open-.

ings of said carriers, fixed guide bars adapted to support said sprocket chains and extending lengthwise of said fingers and substantially parallel. therewith, and means for uiding said sprocket chains .downwardly rom the lower ends of said. guide bars.

5. A package elevator comprising a frame, moving sprocket chains guided by said frame up one side thereof and down the opposite side, carriers connected to said sprocket chains, the bottom of each of said carriers. having openings therein, fingers supported by said frame and extending into the path of downward movement of said carriers, said fingers being arranged 'to pass through the openings of said carriers, means for guiding said sprocket chains lengthwise of said fingers and then downwardly relatively thereto, and means engaging said carriers near the lower ends thereof as they move lengthwise of said fingers and preventing upward'moveinent of the lower ends of said carriers.

6. A package elevator comprising a frame, two sprocket chains guided in said frame, carriers supportedbetween said. sprocket chains, means for movlng 'sald sprocket chains up'one side of said frame and down the opposite side thereof, two pairs of sprocket wheels arranged one above the other at the side of said frame where said'sprocket chains move downwardly, an intermediate pair of sprocket wheels arranged between said pairs of sprocket wheels and out of line therewith, guides for said sprocket chains extending from said upper pair of sprocket wheels to said intermediate pair of sprocket wheels, other guides extending from said intermediate pair of sprocket wheels to said lower pair of sprocket wheels, and fingers arranged under said intermediate pair, of sprocket wheels and extending substantially parallel with said first-mentioned guides. I

7. A package elevator comprising a frame,

sprocket chains guided by said frame, car- 'located in the path of downward'movement of said carriers and arranged to pass through "the openings therein, and means for guiding said sprocket chains and the carrier supported thereby lengthwise of said fingers and then transversely thereof.

8. A package elevator comprising a frame, sprocket chains guided by said frame, means for moving said sprocket chains up one side of said frame and down the opposite side, carriers supported by said sprocket chains, each of said carriers having across-bar and said fingers and then downwardly relatively thereto, said fingers being narrower than the distance between the top edges of said carrier bars and said cross-bar of each carmen s Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 30th day of May, 1914.

JOHN A. ALVEY.

' Witnesses:

ANDREW Knssnme, MARTHA A. SHELTON. 

